Under Loughrigg

Leave Ambleside on the A593 towards Coniston. Cross the River Rothay and immediately take the next right, sign-posted for Under Loughrigg. This narrow lane follows the river closely for about 750m at which point you cross the first of two cattle grids.

About 20m further along the road there is a bridleway that leads eventually to the summit of Loughrigg Fell. This was the starting point for my survey of the natural history of a few square kilometres of the fell during 2004/5. If you're interested, there's a link to the right that shows my efforts.

Follow the road for another 1.5Km when you come to the stepping stones over the River Rothay. If you're travelling in the week, be prepared to duck as low flying jets scream through here with grinning pilots and worried sheep. Carry on over the next cattle grid and down to Pelter Bridge, crossing the Rothay again. At the junction, left is to Rydal and Grasmere, right is back to Ambleside.

Rydal to Grasmere

The hamlet of Rydal at the eastern end of Rydal Water is much visited by the admirers of William Wordsworth, for here the Wordsworth family lived between 1813 and 1859 at Rydal Mount.

A little over half-way along the lake is Nab Cottage which operates as an English language school, and directly across the lake from Nab Cottage, you can see Rydal Caves - or at least the top of one of them.

Round White Moss Common

Along the road between Rydal Water and Grasmere, you reach a point where there are car parks on both sides of the road and a junction with a right turn that climbs steeply away from the A591. Take this turning and quickly gain height and tranquillity. This road follows the same line as the main road, winding around White Moss Common, but is quieter for the cyclist and has the advantage that you drop conveniently down to Dove Cottage with its striking new visitor and conference centre.

Grasmere

Grasmere has much to entertain you, especially if you like gingerbread, are a fully paid-up member of the Dead Poets' Society, and admire the watercolours of the Heaton Coopers. You can also spend some time looking for Gordon Sumner who has a place here, I believe. You won't find him waiting at a wet bus-stop, or standing too close to anyone, or watching anyone breathe.

Grasmere to High Close

Once you've familiarised yourself with Grasmere you find the way out to High Close Youth Hostel, by navigating back to the church and taking the road opposite that runs past the garden centre.

This road will take take you around the lake with occasional glimpses across the water. After a few false starts you start to climb seriously and reach a sign warning of a 1:4 gradient, and you hope it means the tangent (opposite over adjacent) rather than the sine (opposite over hypotenuse) which would be steeper. For my recumbent it makes little difference for, despite being at least 10Kg over-weight and having all that extra down-force, my rear wheel slips even on a dry road.

When you reach the top and the road starts to drop away down to Loughrigg Tarn, you come to a junction where the right fork climbs again to High Close Youth Hostel. It's tempting and rewarding after your recent exertions to take the low road and visit Loughrigg Tarn, with a classic, much photographed, and much painted view of the Langdale Pikes. If you take this route, carry on down past the tarn until you reach the A593 east of Elterwater. Turn right and go past the village to join up with the route past the youth hostel.

High Close to Elterwater

After the short climb to the youth hostel, you round the bend and suddenly you are in Langdale and beginning the scenic descent to Elterwater. You can free-wheel all the way down and will eventually reach a junction on the left signed for Elterwater that almost doubles back and falls steeply away. If you want to visit Elterwater village at this point, take this road, which comes to a junction with the B5343. If you cross this and go over into Elterwater, remember to come back and head west towards Chapel Stile to continue the journey.

Elterwater to Dungeon Ghyll

The alternative is to go straight on and follow the higher road into Chapel Stile where, again, you turn right on to the B5343. At Chapel Stile there's a handy co-operative store where you can buy refreshments. Once through Chapel Stile, continue up Great Langdale. Surprisingly you don't climb very much, which you might expect given that you're going 'upstream'.

Eventually, you reach the New Hotel where Stickle Ghyll comes down from Stickle Tarn. A little further on the road crosses Great Langdale Beck, and you pass the campsite on the left. Next is a turning into the Old Hotel.

Langdale Pikes

Dungeon Ghyll to Blea Tarn

From the old hotel, cross the bridge over Great Langdale Beck and turn right at the junction to complete the last few tens of metres of the B5343. Turn sharp left and follow the edge of the campsite. The road then bends to the right and climbs gently, for a while. If the weather is kind you can see to Mickleden and Rossett Pike over to the right, and left of that The Band with its well worn track to Bowfell. To the left of Bowfell are Crinkle Crages, and then Great Knott and Pike O'Blisco.

Intrepidly cycle past the sign that reads 'Road unsuitable in winter conditions' and think as you look up the slope 'body unsuitable in all conditions'. At first, the road is just averagely steep, but it reaches a point where the head of a recumbent tricyclist is so far below the feet that one fears there isn't enough blood getting to the legs to do their job. This usually means its time to take a photograph.

There are two or three really steep, really tight turns before the road becomes just steep and relatively straight. Now you can get some kind of rhythm going and reach the pass at a cattle grid. From here you drop down and then climb one more quite steep section to pass Bleatarn House. After that, Blea Tarn has all your attention. Some of the best views and photographs are to be had from Tarnclose Crag which stands to the south of the tarn.

Panorama at Blea Tarn

BleaTarn to Little Langdale

It's a short-haul to Little Langdale and its eponynmous tarn. From Blea Tarn you soon reach a 1:4 gradient, but this time it's in your favour. At the end of this run is a junction where right will take you up to Wrynose Pass and over the cattle-grid to the left leads past Little Langdale Tarn and on to Colwith where you'll turn left for Elterwater. Not far after the tarn, the round climbs steeply to a junction. Don't go left, but keep straight on. After 750m or so, the road becomes a very pleasant glide through trees and near the beck to a junction where you turn left.

LittleLangdale to Elterwater

It's about 1.5km along this road to Elterwater approaching from the south, with Elter Water, the lake, on your right-hand side.

Elterwater to Skelwith Bridge

From Elterwater village you can leave by one of three roads. The road to the south leads to Coniston, Little Langdale, and Wrynose. Either of the other two will take you to the B5343. Turn right and head east for a couple of kilometres and you will come to Skelwith Bridge at the junction with the A593.

Skelwith Bridge

There's much to do at Skelwith Bridge. Shop for gifts; eat lemon meringue pie; buy a ton of 8-25mm green-slate gravel; and visit Skelwith Force. It's most impressive when it's rained heavily for a week and you're there on the first dry day.

Skelwith Bridge was the base camp for my first ever ascent of Scafell Pike - the day we won the World Cup in 1966. I've maintained my interest in football all these years - at the same level.

Skelwith Bridge to Clappersgate

From Skelwith Bridge travel along the A593 to Clappersgate. The road twists and turns and is quite narrow at first, but opposite Holy Trinity church it widens out again.

If you want to avoid the traffic and you don't mind a bit of a climb, leave Skelwith Bridge by going over the bridge towards Coniston, but then go straight on down the narrow lane that winds up to Skelwith Fold. From there you drop down to Brathay Hall and Clappersgate via the Hawkshead road.

Clappersgate to Ambleside

It's a short hop from Clappersgate to Ambleside along the A593. You arrive at the bridge over the Rothay and have to go left along a one-way road. At the junction you go left into Ambleside or right to Waterhead and in the direction of Windermerse.